SMiLE Sessions box set!

[The Heartical Don]

The thread has slowed down considerably. Are we getting tired of the SMiLE hype? Cancel your orders while you still can. And convert that money into beer.

Personally I'm getting cold feet. Is Smile really all that good? I feel like I've been had by a giant hype machine Derek Taylor thought up back in 1967. Cancel Smile, create unstoppable myth that self-sustains itself through 40+ years of music history... genius.

Hehe. Yes, imagine: some self-perpetuating devilish magnetic force, or rather: the Black Hole of pop. If you come too close, you get sucked in and never will be able to escape anymore.

[37!ws]

Maybe that's what's going on, THD, but...I'm finding myself constantly coming back to this thread....it's like Barry Wom consulting the I Ching every three and a half minutes...

[desmondo]

This thread is a bit like a bus - there isn't one for ages and then loads all come along at once

[shmenge7372]

How long do you think until previews of the Smile tracks are posted?  I went to http://www.thebeachboys.com in the hopes that there might be something new there but got stuck in an endless loop of the Smile splash page.  Are they updating the site...or just morons?

[The Shift]

How long do you think until previews of the Smile tracks are posted?  I went to http://www.thebeachboys.com in the hopes that there might be something new there but got stuck in an endless loop of the Smile splash page.  Are they updating the site...or just morons?

Maybe the latter. Maybe an update -  last time I managed to get beyond the splash page, the old Warmth of the Sun imagery
greeted visitors.

The pre-order pages are both a mess, really -  slick looking, but a mess: incomplete track listings on the UK site, no mention of who's autographed which special packages on the US site… might as well hang a sign up saying "Go to You Local Dealer cos We're Not Professional Enough to Deserve Your Business".

[Heysaboda]

The thread has slowed down considerably. Are we getting tired of the SMiLE hype? Cancel your orders while you still can. And convert that money into beer.

Personally I'm getting cold feet. Is Smile really all that good? I feel like I've been had by a giant hype machine Derek Taylor thought up back in 1967. Cancel Smile, create unstoppable myth that self-sustains itself through 40+ years of music history... genius.

As a lifetime Beatles fan AND a Brian Wilson/Beach Boys fan since 1996 (Imagination) I can say oh yea, oh verily brothers, SMiLE IS that good, and it's even better than you think!!

oh yea oh yea, verily brothers, place your hands on the Radio and prepare to have your minds blown!

 

P.S.  I am enjoying the SMiLE-mania.  I am learning a lot, and it's fun.

[Aegir]

I am currently listening to a playlist I've made of the running order of Disc 1 using what I already have, and I have to say, it's kind of boring... unless there's more than a few new things on each track, I don't know.

[runnersdialzero]

I am currently listening to a playlist I've made of the running order of Disc 1 using what I already have, and I have to say, it's kind of boring... unless there's more than a few new things on each track, I don't know.

Mayhaps because you've heard a similar running order just shy of a billion times since 2004?

[buddhahat]

Each to their own. I did a similar palylist to the bwps one and
could listen to it forever, despite the high proportion of instrumental tracks. I just find all the music he recorded at this time compelling. Doesn't mean it'll get 5 stars in the music rags but I will love it and that's all that matters to me. The only thing that will be a disappointment for me will be glaringly artificial edits but I have faith that they'll do a good job.

When the tracklist info was released I felt like I was dreaming. If you're non plussed by all the smile hype that's your bag and you're welcome to it, but I'll be listening to this repeatedly for months and months.

[rab2591]

I am currently listening to a playlist I've made of the running order of Disc 1 using what I already have, and I have to say, it's kind of boring... unless there's more than a few new things on each track, I don't know.

I don't really care about the running order - as long as the existing tracks are mastered and a few goodies are peppered throughout, I'll be a happy man. If the new Heroes and Villains & GV are any sign of what is to come, I think we'll all be extremely happy come November 1 (Or October 31 for the lucky bastards across the pond ).

The new Heroes and Villains sounds incredible in mono - i've never heard this track sound so clear....ever!

[Bicyclerider]

Ah, that's a shame so much was not finished, especially the lyrics on Look. I was really hoping for that.

Do we know for certain that lyrics for Look were not written in 1966? Of course, it's possible the lost Oct. 1967 Look vocal session for wordless harmony vocals but I'd think it is just as possible the lads were singing something with words. I hope some light is cast on this in the Smile sessions booklet. Considering they sang on the track maybe Bruce, Al or Mike, not to mention, Brian remembers? It would be a shame if the question isn't asked.

Considering the name changed from Look to I Ran, it implies some kind of lyrical content had been designed for the song to go with a new title.

[Bicyclerider]

Isn't it a Dennis composition/production, done independently of BW? That's also the case with Carl's 'Tones'. I can't wait, really. Later in his career, he had a habit of giving songs slightly vague working titles - I think in the Carlin he says both Make It Good and  Cuddle Up were both known as 'Old Movie', because of what they sounded like, so 'I Don't Know' doesn't really suggest it's a throwaway.

Would this be the earliest Dennis composition released, then?

What about Denny's Drums?   

[Dunderhead]

I wonder what Tones was for. I've heard it was production training. Too me it's always sounded Beatlesy. I also heard a version of Do You Like Worms on youtube that had a bunch of different sections mixed in, one of them being the guitar section of Tones, seemed to fit pretty well.

Also why was Holidays called Tones on boots? Just confusion?

[Bill Barnyard]

Isn't it a Dennis composition/production, done independently of BW? That's also the case with Carl's 'Tones'. I can't wait, really. Later in his career, he had a habit of giving songs slightly vague working titles - I think in the Carlin he says both Make It Good and  Cuddle Up were both known as 'Old Movie', because of what they sounded like, so 'I Don't Know' doesn't really suggest it's a throwaway.

Would this be the earliest Dennis composition released, then?

Alan Boyd, in reply to a question from me about 'I Don't Know' on this board about 18 months ago said that it was just a tracking session, no vocals. He didn't say what it sounded like. 'I Don't Know' was probably a working title and one he did use at least one more time (that I can recall). I would have thought that it was indeed Dennis's first known composition but we'll have to wait and see.

[37!ws]

What about Denny's Drums?  

I wouldn't even count that as a Denny composition considering half of it is lifted from Adrian & The Sunsets' "Nothing But Drums Pt. 2."

[Chris Moise]

Ah, that's a shame so much was not finished, especially the lyrics on Look. I was really hoping for that.

Do we know for certain that lyrics for Look were not written in 1966? Of course, it's possible the lost Oct. 1967 Look vocal session for wordless harmony vocals but I'd think it is just as possible the lads were singing something with words. I hope some light is cast on this in the Smile sessions booklet. Considering they sang on the track maybe Bruce, Al or Mike, not to mention, Brian remembers? It would be a shame if the question isn't asked.

Considering the name changed from Look to I Ran, it implies some kind of lyrical content had been designed for the song to go with a new title.

Excellent point, I hadn't thought of that.

[Chris Moise]

I wonder what Tones was for. I've heard it was production training..

I don't know, if it was some sort of production training they spent a lot of time on it. Tones was worked on for what, 4 sessions? I think it's another Smile era song that had lyrics that are now lost to history.

[juggler]

I am currently listening to a playlist I've made of the running order of Disc 1 using what I already have, and I have to say, it's kind of boring... unless there's more than a few new things on each track, I don't know.

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I just keep thinking (hoping, actually) that Disc 1 will contain some surprises that flesh things out a bit.

[bossaroo]

where is the proof that 'Tones' was written and produced by Carl and Carl alone?


the chord progression has clear ties to "Little Pad"... I would have loved to see "Hawaiian Song" and "Little Pad" included on TSS. even though they are from the Smiley sessions, Brian did include the Hawaiian theme in BWPS. he did not include "Cool Cool Water" which has been included in TSS.

[runnersdialzero]

where is the proof that 'Tones' was written and produced by Carl and Carl alone?


the chord progression has clear ties to "Little Pad"... I would have loved to see "Hawaiian Song" and "Little Pad" included on TSS. even though they are from the Smiley sessions, Brian did include the Hawaiian theme in BWPS. he did not include "Cool Cool Water" which has been included in TSS.

"Clear ties" is misleading. It sounds more like "Wake The World" than anything else, to me. It's coincidental, as is any supposed connections to "Little Pad". Also, I was hoping TSS would lead to a stereo Smiley Smile with outtakes, but ;(

[Andrew G. Doe]

where is the proof that 'Tones' was written and produced by Carl and Carl alone?


the chord progression has clear ties to "Little Pad"... I would have loved to see "Hawaiian Song" and "Little Pad" included on TSS. even though they are from the Smiley sessions, Brian did include the Hawaiian theme in BWPS. he did not include "Cool Cool Water" which has been included in TSS.

"Do It Again" has clear ties with "Underwater", but Brian didn't write that any more than he wrote "Sweet Little Sixteen". 

Actually, to me "Tones" always sounded a lot like "Mona-Kani".

[Jason]

where is the proof that 'Tones' was written and produced by Carl and Carl alone?


the chord progression has clear ties to "Little Pad"... I would have loved to see "Hawaiian Song" and "Little Pad" included on TSS. even though they are from the Smiley sessions, Brian did include the Hawaiian theme in BWPS. he did not include "Cool Cool Water" which has been included in TSS.

"Do It Again" has clear ties with "Underwater", but Brian didn't write that any more than he wrote "Sweet Little Sixteen". 

Actually, to me "Tones" always sounded a lot like "Mona-Kani".

You mean Mona Kanau?

[Wrightfan]

Finally bit the bullet, cancelled my 2 CD set on Amazon and got the one with the shirt on thebeachboys.com

The "only 300 made" did it for me lol.

[Bicyclerider]

Finally bit the bullet, cancelled my 2 CD set on Amazon and got the one with the shirt on thebeachboys.com

The "only 300 made" did it for me lol.

I just don't like the shirt.  Why not use the cover art?

[Shady]

Finally bit the bullet, cancelled my 2 CD set on Amazon and got the one with the shirt on thebeachboys.com

The "only 300 made" did it for me lol.

I'd to that if the shirt wasn't so ugly